Piracy investigators 'infiltrate' private BitTorrent trackers

When you browse over forums and websites about file sharing, many users who consider themselves more "advanced" often openly tout their membership to X numbers of private BitTorrent trackers whilst blasting public sites like ThePirateBay. Of course, just because a tracker is private does not mean it is immune to the action taken against other BitTorrent sites.

Peter Anaman, a senior internet investigator for legal firm Covington and Burling, claims that his organization successfully "infiltrates" private BitTorrent tracker sites. Of course, he didn't name any that are currently being monitored extensively. "Many groups didn't start off as private. They became private because they felt threatened, so we were able to get in when they were open," he said, which possibly might serve as a hint to a power user about which trackers to avoid.

He indicated that his organization maintains a number of contacts which assist it in gaining access to additional private sites for information gathering. "Once you’re in, you never take action. You just listen," he told The Guardian. Of course, some trackers are really "private" and have always been and we can be sure that BT users aren't dealing with Hollywood movie-style spies, no matter how much these groups spruce up the language they give to the press. Still though, it serves as a story to send to the next annoying kid that claims he is rolling in private tracker memberships on forums that you frequent.

15 user comments

Well im sure we all knew the baddies were members, but the question is what are they capable of doing? If they dl a torrent they are committing the same crime they are trying to prevent, also most trackers have a disclaimer when you sign up. This should be interesting!

If they're members of a private tracker and they involve themselves indownloading and particularly uploading aren't they (mere private individuals and private companies) attempting entrapment?

Since when was that legal?

(& let's face it why would anyone actually bother, private trackers are so small compared to the open public ones; talk about an idiotic waste of resources.......hmmmm, wonder what their shareholders would make of that?)

(& let's face it why would anyone actually bother, private trackers are so small compared to the open public ones; talk about an idiotic waste of resources.......hmmmm, wonder what their shareholders would make of that?)

ever heard of demonoid 2mil members or somthing its kinda private( its open for a few days every month)

- Of course I, er, um, have only heard of it. (walks briskly off whistling) :)

Quote: its kinda private( its open for a few days every month)

- It's not really what I'd call a private tracker, it's way too open.

My idea of a private tracker is something you only get into by invitation or in exceptional circumstances
(ie you luck out & happen along for the one week in the year when they might open their registrations).

There are a LOT of safer ways to go if you really want the data. Bittorrent was a great thing; but I feel that it's time has come and gone. Like DRM, the opposition has cracked it pretty thoroughly; which is an ironic example with each side(Industry vs pirates) switched, but you get the idea.

I think that until things cool down, it's wise for those who know the more secure roots to stick to the old familiar, and those who don't.... Either learn quickly, or be patient until it dies down, or hey you could always be a target for the RIAA and the MPAA, I hear that works well too. lol.

Seriously though, as much as I hate to say it, torrents are becoming way too trackable, they're getting shared everywhere, there's almost no such thing as a 100% safe torrent, and even then, it's only safe until one of the users leaks it to someone, and there's no way of telling who that might be, remember you're best friend online could be anyone.

What I'm waiting for is one of these companies to start making bittorrent sites, just to log and bust every user who connects and downloads; they could even make it look private at first, just to get people thinking they're official. If you think that'll never happen, think again, so long as torrents are in use, we'll be seeing it soon...

There are a few exceptions, but most clients won't share with non-uploaders anyways. Also, regarding video content, it is illegal to upload OR download, you can't even legally back up your own purchased DVD without technically breaking the law. So there's no 'safe' bittorrent setup for that unlike music and I think games are download only, but I'm not sure.

demonoid is kinda exclusive, i got an invite im in there ! it only opens every once in a while for like a day or 2 but its a great place and im glad im a member !

but yeah cant these companies just wite down your IP and get the court order for it ? i use bitcomet and you can see everyone's IP and their progress and all the trackers, etc. so yeah thats scary stuff lol

demonoid is NOT CLOSE TOO EXCLUSIVE, it is one step above mininova....it has open registration every week. I am pretty damn sure demonoid is one of the sites that has been infiltrated...shit you can dl half the stuff from the tracker without even being registered!